News and Stories

—Leslie Phelps

With the recent launch of Markon’s new website in early April, it’s been eye-opening to see how people respond to the new content, as well as the postings on our social media channels. Who likes us on Facebook, follows us on Twitter, and finds us on LinkedIn? Who interacts on our blog? Emails us questions through the site? Or watches our YouTube videos? More than anything, it’s been interesting to see how people favor one social media outlet over another—or whether they prefer email messages, phone calls, or printed materials.

Clearly people have different communication wants and needs, but what does it all mean for business? I am reminded of the San Diego Social Media Symposium that I attended in 2011. Peter Shankman (author, entrepreneur, speaker, and worldwide connector) gave the keynote speech and began the discussion by asking everyone in the room how they got their news that morning. He started with newspapers (we saw a few hands in the audience go up), then television, the Internet, and even Twitter. What was so fascinating about this exercise was, given the options available today, how many different ways people receive their information. Now, more than ever, everyone has their own preference.

This discussion has stuck with me through the launch of our website and continues to run through my mind each time I am engaged in a conversation—whether it’s with a Markon co-worker, one of our member company employees, our suppliers, our operator customers, or even in my personal life. What I have learned is that it is critical to understand how the person on the other end of the conversation wants to receive information. Should I send an email? A text message? Make a telephone call? The challenge is identifying the communication preference and customizing the response in each particular instance.

This translates to all of our interactions at Markon, because ultimately, communication is customer service. It is our job to tailor the information and resources we provide to meet the needs of each and every recipient—after all, if they don’t get the information, they don’t get the service. Whether it is our product information, educational newsletters, or social media interactions, Markon is constantly fine-tuning how we share information and strives to continue expanding our methods, so no audience is overlooked.

So please, let us know how you prefer to receive information about fresh produce and what else we can be talking about! We encourage you to engage with us via any of the social media tools on our website. Communication is key—and our ears are open.